Proper 17

Psalm 148-150

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord from the heavens;praise him in the heights above.2 Praise him, all his angels;praise him, all his heavenly hosts.3 Praise him, sun and moon;praise him, all you shining stars.4 Praise him, you highest heavensand you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,for at his command they were created,6 and he established them for ever and ever—he issued a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,stormy winds that do his bidding,9 you mountains and all hills,fruit trees and all cedars,10 wild animals and all cattle,small creatures and flying birds,11 kings of the earth and all nations,you princes and all rulers on earth,12 young men and women,old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,for his name alone is exalted;his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[b]the praise of all his faithful servants,of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 149

Sing to the Lord a new song,his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;let the people of Zion be glad in their King.3 Let them praise his name with dancingand make music to him with timbrel and harp.4 For the Lord takes delight in his people;he crowns the humble with victory.5 Let his faithful people rejoice in this honorand sing for joy on their beds.

6 May the praise of God be in their mouthsand a double-edged sword in their hands,7 to inflict vengeance on the nationsand punishment on the peoples,8 to bind their kings with fetters,their nobles with shackles of iron,9 to carry out the sentence written against them—this is the glory of all his faithful people.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150

Praise God in his sanctuary;praise him in his mighty heavens.2 Praise him for his acts of power;praise him for his surpassing greatness.3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,praise him with the harp and lyre,4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,praise him with the strings and pipe,5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,praise him with resounding cymbals.

5 Why was it, sea, that you fled?Why, Jordan, did you turn back?6 Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,you hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,at the presence of the God of Jacob,8 who turned the rock into a pool,the hard rock into springs of water.

Psalm 115

1 Not to us, Lord, not to usbut to your name be the glory,because of your love and faithfulness.

2 Why do the nations say,“Where is their God?”3 Our God is in heaven;he does whatever pleases him.4 But their idols are silver and gold,made by human hands.5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,eyes, but cannot see.6 They have ears, but cannot hear,noses, but cannot smell.7 They have hands, but cannot feel,feet, but cannot walk,nor can they utter a sound with their throats.8 Those who make them will be like them,and so will all who trust in them.

9 All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield.10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield.11 You who fear him, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield.

12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us:He will bless his people Israel,he will bless the house of Aaron,13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—small and great alike.

14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,both you and your children.15 May you be blessed by the Lord,the Maker of heaven and earth.

16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,but the earth he has given to mankind.17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,those who go down to the place of silence;18 it is we who extol the Lord,both now and forevermore.

1 Kings 8:22-40

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven23 and said:

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

25 “Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’26 And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true.

27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

31 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple,32 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.

33 “When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

37 “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,38 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands toward this temple—39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart),40 so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

1 Timothy 4:7-16

7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach these things.12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

John 8:47-59

47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”

49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”

52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death.53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.